Hard to Kill
by arashikageriverflower
Summary: Scarlett reflects on her first meeting with Snake-Eyes.
1. Prologue

Scarlett shook her head in disbelief. The new guy- what'shisface, Ripcord- had dared to flirt with her. _What was it he said?_

"Just so you know, when I get a target in my sights, I take it down."

She'd rolled her eyes and started the timer for his training exercise. Now, with a small smile of satisfaction, she watched as he failed miserably.

"I have never seen Snake-Eyes take a hit!"

Scarlett whirled around, concerned for her teammate and boyfriend. She watched as the ninja shook hands with Ripcord's friend, Duke. He was fine. He was sore, and probably bruised, but he was fine. And his opponent was in worse shape.

Scarlett smiled. That was Snake. He always gave better than he got, whether it was in terms of benevolence or hostility. He was hard to kill, that one. And she would know.


	2. Chapter 1

"Hostile, 2o'clock!"

Scarlett groaned as another of her team dropped wounded, _shuriken_ embedded in his leg. **A** _shuriken_.

"Who is this guy?"

"I don't care," Scarlett growled. "Get him out of the way." She reared over the hood of the car she was sheltered behind and emptied a round in the direction of the hostile. All she saw was a shadow flinch, but that was enough. "He's wounded! Go!"

The team stormed the building.

Scarlett examined the ground. _Blood, but not a lot of it…_ "Proceed with caution."

The entire unit took about three steps before they were set upon by a black maelstrom. Men fell left and right; soon Scarlett was the only one left.

In front of her, she could only assume, was a fully masked ninja.

"Freeze!"

The ninja turned around ever so slowly, and Scarlett got a good look at the hexagram on his shoulder.


	3. Chapter 2

The ninja drew a line across his throat and shook his head.

Scarlett frowned. "They're not dead?"

The ninja nodded.

"Why should I believe you?"

He made a gesture that seemed to invite her to check.

Keeping her weapon trained on the hostile, Scarlett inspected her men. They were alive, but unconscious. They would stay that way for a good while. "Why not me?"

The ninja sighed and made the sign _girl_.

"How do you know I won't hurt you?"

He shook his head.

"Good." Scarlett opened fire.

The ninja dodged the bullets then kicked the gun out of her hand.

Scarlett fell back on her hand-to-hand combat training, but he seized her wrists and shook his head. He pointed to the bunker that was her objective and gestured between them.

Scarlett snorted. "Yeah, that's gonna happen."

The ninja pointed at her team.

"Fine," Scarlett growled.


	4. Chapter 3

The ninja led Scarlett to the top of the building, where he had already assembled a zip line. He grabbed hold of the handle and gestured for her to grab on to him.

"I don't know you." Nevertheless, Scarlett shouldered her weapon and crossed her arms over his chest.

The zip line spanned a good mile, and Scarlett watched the ground almost the entire way, keeping track of enemy movements. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. "You can't talk, can you?"

The ninja shook his head.

"Why not?"

He patted his heart and his lips.

"A… vow?"

He nodded.

"You're a ninja, right? Do all ninjas take that vow?"

He shook his head, then signaled two and patted his chest.

"Only two, including you…" Scarlett rested her chin on his shoulder thoughtfully, then pulled away when both she realized what she was doing and they arrived at the bunker.


	5. Chapter 4

The ninja provided a way in through a hidden hatch. He dropped down first then beckoned Scarlett as he drew his sword.

They made it down the hall with relative ease for a short while, then they ran into two soldiers. The ninja disposed of the first, but the second managed to give a shout before Scarlett shot him.

Five more tumbled into the hall and it became too crowded for Scarlett to safely discharge her weapon.

The ninja was everywhere. He cut down four, but the last threw a grenade over his head. He charged between it and Scarlett as it detonated.

After the blast, Scarlett looked up to see the soldier dead. She looked around for the ninja and found him next to the wall, trying to stand. His uniform was in tatters and his head- "Oh, my God," Scarlett cried, ripping off her jacket and smothering the flames that wreathed around his face.


	6. Chapter 5

Scarlett cast away the ninja's mask, it was shattered beyond use, anyway. His face had been burned beyond even looking human and his throat had been brutally ripped open. He would never talk, even when the duration of his vow had ended.

The ninja pushed her hands away.

"You need medevac. My people will take good care of you. You won't need to worry about a thing."

The ninja shook his head and pointed down the hall.

Scarlett crossed her arms. "You're in no condition to continue the mission."

The ninja glared, stood, and continued on his own.

"Stubborn ninja," Scarlett muttered. She followed him, intent on pulling out ASAP.

They stopped at a heavily fortified door.

Scarlett sighed reluctantly. "Would you like to do the honors?"

The ninja actually smiled as he plunged a knife into the lock. The door opened slowly. Scarlett stepped in to see three men stripped down to their underwear.

"Which of you is George Strawhacker?"

"Me," all three answered.


	7. Chapter 6

Scarlett took a breath, looking from one man to the next.

The ninja, however, charged forward and cut down the flanking "prisoners", revealing guns behind their backs. He freed the third quickly.

"Thank you, stranger." Strawhacker stood on wobbly legs and dressed into clothes he pulled out of the corner.

Scarlett frowned. _Was that… hurt in the ninja's eyes?_

The ninja turned and walked out the door.

"Wait!" Scarlett ran up to him. "You saved my life."

The ninja shrugged.

"So, I never got to thank you."

He shrugged again.

Scarlett sighed and kissed him once, careful of the burns. When she pulled away, he was smiling.

He poked her in the shoulder.

"Well, I guess I know you better now."

The ninja stroked her hair and kissed her once again before he turned and left.

Ii wasn't until she was in a chopper headed back to base that she fully realized she didn't even know his name.


	8. Chapter 7

_2 years later…_

Scarlett tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for the new recruits to meet her. Why General Hawk gave her this assignment was beyond her. Finally, three men came towards her. She recognized them from their files as members of G. 's newest unit: Ninja Force.

The three bowed and introduced themselves as Dojo, Nunchuck, and T'Jbang. T'Jbang actually was observing a vow of silence, so Dojo introduced him.

Scarlett glanced over them, annoyed. "Where's your other companion?"

Nunchuck shrugged. "He's having a hard time getting past security. He always does, but he always gets where he wants to be. It's not a big deal." He glanced over Scarlett's shoulder. "Here he comes now."

Scarlett turned around to see **him**. The ninja who had helped her with the Strawhacker mission. **Her** ninja.

"His name's Snake-Eyes."


	9. Epilogue

Scarlett once again shook her head at Ripcord's flirting. Snake-Eyes had proved his love for her many times, and therefore earned her love in return. Ripcord probably like her looks.

She smiled, remembering her mother's advice.

"If you're stuck between two boys, ask yourself which one would still love you if you gained twenty pounds."

Well, she wasn't stuck, but if she was, the answer would still be Snake-Eyes. She had committed herself to him, and that wasn't going to change overnight.

Ripcord yelled as one of the holographic soldiers shot him. The blasts couldn't kill, but they could hurt like the dickens.

Still smiling, Scarlett walked over to where Ripcord laid on his back and crouched beside him. "Just so you know, some targets are harder to kill than others." And she walked away to meet Snake-Eyes for a mess-hall dinner.


End file.
